Devices for treating obstructive sleep apnea

Abstract

Devices for treating obstructive sleep apnea include appliances for securing to one or more teeth of a patient and connected to a lingual bridge configured to change shape and apply pressure to a patient's tongue, preventing backward movement of the tongue and blockage of the patient's airway. The lingual bridge is composed of a shape memory alloy to allow the bridge to change shape once deployed in a patient's oral cavity and exposed to increased temperature in the patient's mouth. Pulse generators and electrodes are included to electrically stimulate the nerves and muscles of the tongue to assist in keeping the tongue from moving backward in the mouth during sleep.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A device for treating obstructive sleep apnea in a patient, comprising:
 a lower jaw appliance configured to engage the patient's mandibular dental arcade;   an upper jaw appliance configured to engage the patient's maxillary dental arcade; and   a first connector comprising a first member, a second member, and a first plurality of magnets inside the first connector, wherein:
 the first member and the second member are configured to move relative to each other to thereby modulate a length of the first connector; 
 the first member is configured to be attached to at least one of the lower jaw appliance or upper jaw appliance at a first position and the second member is configured to be attached to a different one of the lower jaw appliance or upper jaw appliance, relative to the first member, at a second position that is offset from the first position by a distance configured to be greater than one tooth; and 
 a first end of the first connector is configured to repel from a second end of the first connector using a first magnet of the first plurality of magnets positioned proximate the first end, a second magnet of the first plurality of magnets positioned proximate the second end, and a third magnet of the first plurality of magnets positioned between the first magnet and the second magnet such that like polarities of the first magnet and the third magnet face each other and like polarities of the second magnet and the third magnet face each other to thereby generate repulsive forces between a) a front portion of the lower jaw appliance and back portion of the upper jaw appliance or b) a back portion of the lower jaw appliance and front portion of the upper jaw appliance to cause forward pressure to the lower jaw appliance. 
   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second connector comprising a third member, a fourth member, and a second plurality of magnets, wherein the third member and fourth member are configured to move relative to each other to thereby modulate a length of the second connector, wherein the third member is configured to be attached to at least one of the lower jaw appliance or upper jaw appliance at a third position, wherein the fourth member is configured to be attached to at least one of the lower jaw appliance or upper jaw appliance at a fourth position, wherein the third member and fourth member are not both attached to a same one of the lower jaw appliance or the upper jaw appliance, wherein the third position is offset from the fourth position by a distance configured to be greater than one tooth, and wherein repulsive forces between at least a portion of the second plurality of magnets are applied to a) the front portion of the lower jaw appliance and back portion of the upper jaw appliance or b) the back portion of the lower jaw appliance and front portion of the upper jaw appliance to cause forward pressure to the lower jaw appliance. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the first connector is adapted to be positioned on a left buccal surface of the patient's dental arcades. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the second connector is adapted to be positioned on a right buccal surface of the patient's dental arcades. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the first member is a partially hollow arm configured to slidably receive the second member and wherein the third member is a partially hollow arm configured to slidably receive the fourth member. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the second member is configured to slide into, and out of, the first member in response to an amount of movement of the patient's mandibular dental arcade relative to an amount of movement of the patient's maxillary dental arcade and wherein the fourth member is configured to slide into, and out of, the third member in response to the amount of movement of the patient's mandibular dental arcade relative to the amount of movement of the patient's maxillary dental arcade. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the first member is configured to move in a telescoping manner relative to the second member and wherein the third member is configured to move in a telescoping manner relative to the fourth member. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a second connector comprising a third member and a fourth member, wherein the third member is configured to at least partially cover the fourth member, wherein the third member and fourth member are configured to move relative to each other to thereby modulate a length of the second connector, wherein the third member is configured to be attached to at least one of the lower jaw appliance or upper jaw appliance, wherein the fourth member is configured to be attached to at least one of the lower jaw appliance or upper jaw appliance, wherein the third member and fourth member are not both attached to a same one of the lower jaw appliance or the upper jaw appliance, wherein a fourth magnet is positioned proximate a first end of the second connector and inside the third member, wherein a fifth magnet is positioned proximate a second end of the second connector, opposing the first end, and inside the fourth member. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the fourth magnet and fifth magnet are oriented such that like polarities face each other and thereby generate a repulsive force configured to push the first end of the second connector away from the second end of the second connector. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , further comprising a sixth magnet positioned between the fourth magnet and the fifth magnet, wherein the fourth magnet and sixth magnet are oriented such that like polarities face each other and thereby generate a repulsive force configured to push the fourth magnet and sixth magnet away from each other and wherein the fifth magnet and sixth magnet are oriented such that like polarities face each other and thereby generate a repulsive force configured to push the fifth magnet and sixth magnet away from each other. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first member and second member are physically coupled by a sliding joint. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the sliding joint comprises a U-shaped groove configured to enable the first member and the second member to be disconnected and connected. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one pulse generator and at least one electrode, wherein the at least one pulse generator and at least one electrode are electrically coupled and physically coupled to the lower jaw appliance. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one pulse generator is configured to cause the at least one electrode to apply stimulation to at least one of the patient's genioglossus, the patient's hyoglossus muscle, or to a nerve supplying the patient's genioglossus or hyoglossus muscle. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one elongated portion of a shape memory alloy, wherein the at least one elongated portion of the shape memory alloy is positioned inside the first connector and within an outer arm and an inner arm and wherein the at least one elongated portion of the shape memory alloy is configured to lengthen after being placed in the patient's oral cavity and to cause the patient's lower jaw to move relative to the patient's upper jaw. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a lingual bridge coupled to the lower jaw appliance and configured to lie over, and apply pressure to, the patient's tongue, wherein such applied pressure is sufficient to prevent the patient's tongue from impeding airflow in the patient's oropharynx.